Order

I need order in my life.  Not tidiness, necessarily (that’s pretty much nonexistent at my house), but a sense that actions and activities have a beginning, a middle, and an end.  When I read a book, I start with the title page, and read through to the end–no skipping bits.  When I assemble a piece of furniture, I read the directions first, then follow them carefully.  I know where I’m going before I leave the house.  I like routines:  the making-breakfast routine, the packing-lunches routine, the getting-ready-for-a-bike-ride routine.  And I tell stories in strict chronological order.  So this blog is bothering me.  I feel like I’ve told you bits and pieces of my sketchy history as a cyclist, and it’s time to come clean, and tell the whole story.  So here’s my confession:  I’ve been to PBP before.  I went in 2003, but didn’t finish.  I quit and went shopping.

Earlier that year, though, when I started training, I wrote a few pieces about my experience, and the owner of my bike shop (thespincycle.com) posted them on his website.  I’ve tracked them down (well, actually, my very helpful husband has), so in the interests of chronology, I will begin here with the first one, which I wrote in March, I think, of 2003.

My name is Lisa Rosen; I